PROLOGUE


DISCLAIMER: The BSC characters are not mine, they belong to Ann M. Martin. However, any unrecognizable characters I have created.


Mary Ann gazed wistfully out the window. She was at home, her child asleep in the next room, but for some reason she could not enjoy the peace and quiet. Something was troubling her, and she could not figure out what. As she looked, she saw four kids outside playing together, and then it hit her. She missed her friends from the BSC! It had been ten years since they had last been together. The club had survived through the sophomore year in high school, but then everyone had been so busy, they didn't have time for each other, and sort of drifted apart. Mary Ann had talked to Kristy and Dawn occasionally, but she still missed them.

A nosie from the next room made her come out of her reverie. She went to check on her little daughter, Amanda. "What are you doing up already?" she asked. "Mommy, I can't find my doll house people and furniture. What did you do with them?" "I put them in the hall closet. Here, let's go look for them." Mary Ann took Amanda by the hand and led her to the closet. Mary Ann finally found what Amanda wanted, and Amanda went to play contentedly. As Mary Ann turned to go to the kitchen to start preparing supper, something caught her eye. It was a brightly decorated glass jewelry box, but there was no jewelry inside. Mary Ann was suddenly swept up in a whirlwind of memories.........

It was 10 years ago, at what was to become the last meeting of the Baby-Sitters Club. They were all still best friends, and thought that they would always be close. Someone had proposed a pact: In 10 years, they would all meet, no matter where they were or what they were doing. They all signed it, and put it into a jewelry box that Claudia decorated especially for this purpose. Also, they wrote down their hopes, dreams, and plans for they future. When they met, they would open the jewelry box and see if any of their wishes had come true. They all finished, took hands, and exclaimed, "Friends Forever!"

Mary Ann was nearly in tears with the memory. It was time to live up to that promise, now. As the secretary of the BSC, she was supposed to keep the box and call everyone for the meeting. Mary Ann turned and walked to her room. There, she searched for a while before she finally found it - her address book, with the names and numbers of all of the BSC members. Hands shaking, she picked up the phone and dialed the first number.